Car-coupling



f 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

w. s. SGHROBDER su A. P., AL11\I1J15wLM.

CAR GOUPLING.

No. 509,104. j Patented Novf'l, 189s.'

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. S. SGHROEDER 8u A. P.'L'INDHOLM.

` GAR GOUPLING.

No. 509,104.4 Patented Nov. 21, '1893.

' HHH l nnnnnnnnnnnnn o.

j2me/2 for@ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM S. SCHROEDER AND ANDREV P. LINDHOLM, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAR-COU PLI'NG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letterslatent No. 509,104, dated November 21, 1893.

Application iiled .Tune 16,1893. Serial No. 477,790. (No model.)

To all whom t may concern..-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM S. ScHRoE- DER and ANDREW P. LINDHOLM, citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Car-Couplers, of which the following is a specication.

Our invention relates to an .improvement in car couplers of the kind employing a pivoted knuckle, locking block and locking pin, the latter of which is lifted by a lever operated from the car and is intended automatically to lock the knuckle when the companion member of the coupling is introduced.

Our invention has for its object, first, to improve the car coupler having the parts described to render the same more sensitive and to insure the locking of the knuckle under all circumstances; and, secondly, to insurethe retention of the knuckle in a position to receive the companion member of the coupler when the parts are uncou pled.

The invention consists, generally, in a car coupler comprising the pivotally secured knuckle and coupler head, a locking bar extending longitudinally of the coupler and slotted to receive the coupling pin, said coupling pin and the wall of the Vcoupler body adjacent thereto being given a special configuration for a purpose presently described.

Our invention consists further in a coupler comprising the coupler head, the pivoted knuckle, the locking bar and the locking pin, and a spring iinger engaging the pivoted knuckle and operating to hold the latter in a distended position after uncoupling.

The invention consists further in the gcneral and specific details of construction and combinations of parts, all as hereinafter more fully set forth.

In the drawings-Figure 1 is a broken perspective View of a coupler constructed in ac cordance with our invention made partly in section to show the interior construction. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation taken on the line 2 of Fig. 1 and viewed in the direction ofthe arrow. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through the coupler at the forward end thereof. Fig. 4. is a transverse vertical sec- -tion taken on the line 4. of Fig. 3 and viewed in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 5 is a perspective view detached of a locking pin.

A represents the draw-bar made hollow, as Shown, and having the coupler head B. The draw-bar A is provided with a cavityt for the reception of the rear end of the locking bar C. The locking bar C comprises a-bar having the longitudinal slot s reduced in width at the forward end,.as indicated at s in the upper half thereof by forming shoulders r, as indicated in Figs. 1 2 and 3. The rear end of the bar C curves downward, as shown at r', and the forward end extends upward, as shown at r2.

The purpose of the slot s in the locking bar is to receive the lower end of the coupling pin, and the purpose of the shoulders fr and reduced slot s is to prevent the coupling pin from being withdrawn, which is accomplished by the construction given to the pin as presently described.

The coupler head is provided with the usual pin receiving opening D, in which is introduced the coupling pin E. At the upper eX- tremity of the opening D a ledge D is formed. The pin E is of peculiar construction and comprises the following features: The upper end is slotted, as shown at p to receive the chain p connected with the operating lever F. Below the slotted end a flange o is formed below which the pin is given the configuration of the slot D, as shown at o in the gures. Below the part o part of the rear of the pin is cut away to provide a shoulder, as

' indicated at n., below which cut away part n a cam-like curvature is given to the rear side of the pin at m, while the metal of the pin in this part is reduced in width, as indicated at m. Below the reduced part m the pin is again enlarged to produce the curved shoulders Z and the eXtreme lower extremity of the pin has a curved and cam-like forward face Aas indicated at Z.

In the square openingD of the coupler there is formed on the rear wall thereof a camlike projection G, the purpose of which will presently appear, and the forward or outward endA of the slot s of the locking bar C is also inclined upward and outward, as shown at s2.

H represents the knuckle, which is of usual construction in the main, except as hereinafter specied, and is held to the coupler by the pin H in the usual manner. The rear end of the knuckle H terlninates in a rounded and cam-like tail-piece I which is provided with a slot or recess I in which is introduced a springcontrolled finger K pivotally secured the purpose of uneoupling, the pin assumesl the vposition indicated in Fig. 2 that is to say, the pin is inclined backward by reason of the engagementot the cam n with the projection G and the shoulder formed by the notch n engages the ledge D. The pin in turn by reason of thel engagement of the shoulders Z with .the shoulder fr on the locking bar serves to hold the latter in elevated position, thus to permit the tail-piece I of the knuckle I-I to pass lunder the forward end of the locking bar C. In passing, however, the curved extremity of the tail-piece I engages the cam face Z at Vthe lower extremity of the pin E moving the latter on the vpivot afforded botwpeen the projection G and the cam n, and causing the pin to descend until restrained in its descent by engagement with the inclined inner wall s2 at the forward end of the slot in the locking bar C. In this position, shown in Fig. 3, the knuckle is ready .upon receiving pressure at the center of the coup'- ling jaws to move back to locking position, which movement by withdrawing the tailpiece I from underneath the locking bar C allows the locking bar to fallv into the path of the tail-piece, carrying with it the pin E. It is then in the position indicated in Fig. l.

In order to insure the retention of the knuckle in the open vposition indicated in Fig. 3, the spring finger K is employed. Upon an examination of Fig. l, it will be apparent that the tendency of this spring nger K to distend the knuckle H is resisted by the engagement of the tail-piece I with the locking bar C. When the locking bar is lifted it is quite obvious that the spring finger will operate to force inward the tail-piece and hold it in this position until force shall be applied to overcome its spring tension.

Any convenient means of holding the locking lever in position with relation to the coup- 1er may be employed. In Figs. 2 and 3 such a means is shown in a pin t passing through the wall of the draw-bar and through a perforation in theend of the locking bar.

The invention herein described is not limited to specific details of construction; but

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a car-coupler, the combination with the coupler-head and the knuckle, a couplingpin entering the coupler-head Aand a projection G on the coupler-head, as and for the purpose described.

2. In a car-coupler, the combination with the coupler-head and the knuckle, a coupling-pin entering the coupler-head and having the cam-like projection on its rear side m, as and. for the purpose described.-

3. In a car-coupler, the combination with the purpose described, and with the knuckle,

' of a coupling-pin having the cam-like projection m, substantially as set forth.`

4. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupler-head having the opening to receive the coupler-pin and ledge 'D' and with the knuckle, of a coupling-pin entering said coupler-head having a shoulder, whereby it may rest on the ledge while elevated, and means for causing the coupler pin to Vbe inclined in the act of elevation to cause it to rest upon the ledge D', substantially as set forth.

5. In a car-coupler, the combination with a coupler head having the openingfor the coupler pin and with the knuckle vhaving the tailpiece, of a-coupler-pin entering sai/d coupler head provided w-ith a shoulder to rest on the upper face of the coupler-head, and a cam faced lower end, and means for causing the coupler-pin to be inclined when lifted, the parts being arranged substantially as described, whereby the movement of the tailpiece of the knuckle turns the inclined coupler-pin to a vertical position, substantially as described.

6. In a car-coupler, in combination with a coupler-head and the locking bar therein provided with aislot and shoulder and with the knuckle provided with the tail-piece, of a coupling-pin provided with a shoulder to enable it to rest upon the upper edge of a coupler-head, provided also at its lower end with an enlargement having a lower cam face, and means, substantially as described, for causing the coupling-pin when elevated to incline and be supported throughV the medium of the shoulder upon the coupler-head, substantially as and for the purpose described.

7. In a car-coupler, the combination with a IOO IIO

the locking-bar C therein and the eouplingthe restraint of the locking-bar, substantially pin E entering said locking-bar and snstainas described. ing the same, of a knuckle H having the tail- WILLIAM S. SCHROEDER. plece I presentln'3P a. cam face to envae the lower extremity of the couplingpinband a' ANDREW P' LINDHOLM' spring finger K connected With the'knuekle In presence 0fand having a tension normally to distend the M. J. FROST,

knuckle when the tail-piece is relieved from W. N. WILLIAMS. 

